Dome light assembly



3, P338. A. w. PRAN'cE DOME LIGHT ASSEMBLY Filed March 25, 1956 1' N VENTOR.

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' B Y Y 0. k m R 00 n 1% w Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT orncs to Briggs Manufact Mich., a corporation uring Company, Detroit,

of Michigan Application March 23, 1936, Serial No. 70,354

, '7 Claims.

This invention relates to dome light assemblies particularly adapted for use in vehicle bodies, such as automobile bodies, an object of the invention being to improve and simplify the construction of devices of this kind while at the same time providing an improved dome light assembly whereby more desirable lighting effects within the car may be secured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dome light assembly which supplies indirect or diffused lighting to the interior of a vehicle body, effective to materially reduce the danger hazard by eliminating interior glare which is detrimental to clear vision of the driver.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating a dome light assembly embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the parts of the dome light structure in disassembled re lation.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by way of example, one embodiment of the present invention, the assembly therein shown comprising a suitable mounting block l0 formed of wood or other suitable material removably attached to the under faces of a pair of spaced and, as shown, substantially parallel Wood roof bows H by means of screws l2, the heads of the screws being countersunk, as shown in Fig. 2. The assembled supporting structure, that is the block I!) and roof bows II, are preferably covered and concealed by the usual cloth headlining l4 which provides the interior covering for the roof The block Ill with the dome light mounted therein is preferably insulated from the roof proper of the vehicle body by a sheet or strip of non-conducting insulating and sound deadening material l3 which may be attached to the panel in any suitable manner, as by means of tacks or nails l5.

The body of the lamp assembly comprises, as shown, a reflector or casing I 6, formed of sheet metal, such asbrass, having an outwardly directed flanged rim H, which at spaced points is cut away at IS. The annular wall of the casing, within each cut out portion I8, is extended downwardly as at l9 and flanged at 20, to provide a plurality of depending legs or members for supporting a globe or translucent shield 30. The reflector casing l6 houses a source of light and is apertured in a side wall and provided with clips 2i which together form a socket for receiving the cylindrical base 23 of a conventional lamp bulb 22. A combined socket and switch body 24 for the lamp bulb is attached to the wall of the casing Hi adjacent the opening formed therein, by means of metal brackets or plates 25 having offset portions or flanges 26 at their inner ends which are riveted or otherwise secured to thecasing, see Figs. 1 and 3. The switch body 24 has the usual terminal posts for receiving and supporting the lead-in wires 21. The lamp and its combined socket and switch body may be of conventional construction and need not be described in detail. The casing or reflector l6 and its attached parts are secured in position within an opening or recess formed in the supporting block ID by means of screws 28 which pass through.

holes or openings 29 formed in the ribs 9 of the depending leg members l9, one such screw being shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The shield or globe 30 may be formed of some non-breakable material, such, for example, as Tenite, or suitable translucent material effective to diffuse and largely prevent the direct passage downwardly therethrough of light rays emitted by the lamp 22. As shown, the globe is formed with a series of stepped concentric portions 3|, 32, and 33 and a rib 34 set inwardly somewhat from the marginal edge thereof. The rib 34 is provided with an annular undercut groove 35 and is notched out or cut away at 36 at predetermined spaced points which correspond to the predetermined positions of the flanged legs or attaching lugs I9. The shield 30 is assembled with the supportng legs by bringing the notches 36 into register with the legs 19 and inserting the flanges 20 through the notches into line with the undercut groove. The reflector is then turned or rotated relatively to the fixed legs I9 until the flanges 20 have engaged in the undercut groove or slot 36. The slot and the flanges 20 are so proportioned as to effect a relatively tight or friction fit so that the reflector will not become disengaged from its support during use. In the preferred construction it will be seen that the rim of the globe or shield 30 is spaced below the rim l I of the reflector thus providing an annular slot permitting the free passage of light rays laterally in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the roof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved dome light assembly capable of producing indirect lighting for the interior of a vehicle body, thus eliminating the glare upon the windshield and windows of the vehicle such as is caused by direct interior lighting. Moreover, the invention provides an improved and relatively simple method for mounting the globe or shield member of the dome light onto the flanged rim of the reflector whereby the parts may be securely attached together in use while permitting ready detachment thereof. As will be seen, the construction and mode of attaching these parts readily permit the use of indirect lighting when desired.

I claim:

1. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body, comprising a domed reflector provided with projecting lugs, a lamp assembly mounted within the reflector, a globe or shield member covering the open side of the reflector, and interrupted ribs located inwardly from the rim of the shield and having a continuous internal undercut groove engageable by said reflector lugs for detachably securing the reflector and shield together.

2. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body comprising a domed reflector set into a roof member of the body and having a flanged rim provided with depending legs projecting below said rim, a source of light within the casing, and a shield having an internal annular groove removably attached to and supported by said legs in spaced relation from said rim whereby to provide a slot between the peripheral edge of the shield and said rim for the passage of light rays, said legs engaging said groove when the parts are assembled.

3. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body comprising a support attached to the roof of the body and having a recess formed therein, a metal reflector casing located within said recess, a source of light within the casing, the wall of said casing having an outwardly projecting flange and spaced depending portions having flanges spaced from said casing flange and extending in a common plane substantially paralleling the plane of said casing flange, and a light diffusing member having notches formed therein and an annular groove extending between and interconnecting said notches whereby to receive the flanges on said depending portions to support said light diffusing member in spaced relation to and. below said reflector casing.

4. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body comprising a support attached to the roof of the body and having an opening formed therein, a metal reflector casing located within said opening, a source of light within the casing, the wall of said casing having an outwardly projecting flange and a plurality of spaced leg members provided with flanges, said flanges being spaced from said casing flange and extending in a substantially common plane paralleling the plane of said casing flange, and a shield removably connected to and supported by said members.

5. A dome light assembly comprising a metal reflector, and a shield supported in spaced relation to and below said reflector, said shield having spaced notches and an internal annular groove formed therein and said reflector having spaced depending supporting legs adapted to cooperate with said notches and groove whereby to removably support the shield in spaced relation to said reflector.

6. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body comprising a domed reflector adapted to be supported in the roof of the body, a lamp assembly carried by said reflector, said reflector having an outwardly projecting rim flange and downwardly extending spaced supporting legs provided with flanges, and a shield member having spaced ribs provided with internal undercut grooves, said leg flanges adapted to enter said grooves upon partially rotating the shield in order to interlock the shield and reflector together.

7. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body comprising a support attached to the roof of the body and having an opening formed therein, a metal reflector casing located within said opening, a source of light within the casing, the wall of said casing having an outwardly projecting flange and a plurality of spaced leg members provided with flanges, said flanges being spaced from said casing flange and extending in a substantially common plane paralleling the plane of said casing flange, and a shield removably connected to and supported by said members, said shield having spaced notches and an internal undercut groove adapted to receive said leg flanges.

ALVIN W. PRANCE. 

